Ruby Red
by Gahbriel Delacroix
Summary: A token from Alucard's past falls into his lap shortly after the battle between himself and Incognito. Read and review, for I am horrible at proper story summaries.
1. Calm before the storm

I have returned, in a whole new area of Fanfiction, an area I never thought I would be in. I thank you all for coming by and checking out my story. It is still in progress, so if you see any spelling mistakes that I may have missed, or have any comments, please feel free to review or send me a private message. I take criticism.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hellsing characters, though it would be nice if I did. The only thing I own out of this is the idea.

Please read and enjoy!

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Slowly, Sir Integra sat in her chair, eyeballing all the paperwork that lay before her on her desk. Instantly, her head began to hurt, and she fought the urge to reach up and rub her head. She hated paperwork, though she knew it needed to be done. She picked up a piece of paper and began reading over it.

To a normal person it would appear she was studying this piece of paper intently. Alucard knew differently. Her eyes may be on the paper, but her mind was a million miles away. He eased into the chair infront of her desk and watched her through his tinted sunglasses. He wasn't sure if he should bother her, or leave her to her memories. It wasn't often she took trips down memory lane.

Before his decision could be made, Sir Integra lowered the paper and looked at him. Though she could not see his eyes, she knew he was watching her as well. She laid the paper on her desk.

"Good evening Alucard. Let me guess. Walter is in the hospital, Seras Victoria is on vacation, so you have no one to mettle with. So, now you've come to mettle with me. Am I right?"

Integra reached for a cigar, placing it to her lips and lighting it, taking in the sweet smoke that had helped keep her sane for years.

"You know me too well, Miss Hellsing."

Integra smiled, ashing her cigar in a nearby ashtray.

"So, what do you want?"

"I want you to take a walk with me."

She gave him a strange look. Luckily for all of them, it had been rather peaceful in England. It had only been two weeks since the battle between Alucard and Incognito took place. Since then, the trash they fought had worked hard at avoiding Alucard. Of course, she couldn't really blame them. This only left one problem, Alucard now had nothing to do, and he was bored.

"Why on earth would you think I would take a walk with you?" She placed a hand on her desk and leaned back into her chair. The smoke from the cigar drifted upwards into the high ceilings of the Hellsing Mansion.

"It's a lovely night."

She nodded.

"I'll agree with you there, Alucard. But I can't. First of all, I'm not a night walker like you are, and secondly, I have a lot of work to do."

Alucard let out a low chuckle.

"Miss Hellsing, staring at a piece of paper and letting your mind wander does not mean you are working. It means you are stressed and really don't want to be working. Not to mention, you won't be alone. I won't let the little ghoulies get you."

He had her there. She stared into the reflection of herself in Alucard's glasses. She could feel the weight of his stare as she leaned and ashed her cigar again, putting it back to her lips and taking in a long drag. Finally, after a few moments of sitting in silence, she stood.

"If I go, will it quiet you?"

"Not only will it quiet me, it will honor me to know that the great Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing left her work just for me."

She sighed and grabbed her coat. Though she welcomed the break, she hated who it was with.

She did not hate Alucard, definitely not! She loved him, probably more than she was supposed to. She hated the thoughts he made her have. Though, she had no one to blame but herself. It wasn't like Alucard forced the thoughts on her, it was merely that she didn't think about such things until she was in his presence. She was, as they say, between a rock and a hard spot. She wanted something she knew she couldn't have. She wanted to be a vampire. She knew it, he knew it. But, this was a dark desire she could not give into. She had a legacy to keep up with. Not to mention, she wasn't sure she could handle being a vampire.

Alucard and Sir Integra exited through the front of Hellsing Mansion, and took a worn path into the woods behind the house. These were woods she had not been in since she was a child, taking a break from the lessons her father taught her. Her father. How she missed that man, and taking a walk, literally, down memory lane did not help the sadness his memory presented her. In all honesty, she hated what she had become. Her emotions were locked away into a tiny black box in her heart, closed to everyone but herself. She had a responsibility to hold up, and it didn't involve sitting in the corner crying, or swooning over Alucard. Still, every once in a while when she was alone, she would cry. But no one knew. Atleast, she hoped no one knew.

Most of their walk was in total silence, Alucard's eyes turned up to the night sky, her's turned to the ground to ensure she didn't trip and fall. Finally, Alucard spoke and broke the silence between them.

"It really is a lovely night. Look how the moon shines, lighting our path. And the stars, they twinkle and shine like small eyes, watching us as we make our night time journeys." He paused, still watching the skies.

"I don't understand how anyone can hate this."

"Alucard, it isn't that people hate it. It's just, a normal person is asleep and dreaming by now. Not out wandering the night. Like I said, I agree with you. The night is lovely."

They continued walking together. Sir Integra did enjoy moments like these when she was alone with Alucard. Though you couldn't tell from the lock she kept on her heart all the time. It was very rare that they did get to be together. He was a very intelligent person, and he was funny. She loved the fact that she was the only one that saw the true side of him. He wasn't just a killing machine like everyone at Hellsing thought him to be. He had a strange sense of humor, he loved to read a lot, and he was a prankster. Though, the only people he really pranked were Walter and herself. Not even Seras Victoria, his vampire child, knew about him, not really. She knew he was a very old, very powerful vampire, and he had abilities beyond her wildest imaginations.

"Where did Seras go on her vacation?" Integra asked, looking up at him in question. Alucard was now watching straight ahead.

"She went to Transylvania. She said she had some things she needed to do there."

Sir Integra nodded.

"She really showed her true colors, during the war between Incognito and you. But, you always had an eye for such people."

Another low chuckle escaped his lips.

"I have no such eyes, Miss Hellsing. Had it been any other circumstances, I would not have changed her into a vampire. But, fate has a way of playing cruel jokes on us, I suppose."

They continued walking, until they happened upon a small pond. This pond, she realized, was the pond she had played in while she was a child. After her father's lessons, she would come here to relax. Back when times were so simple and she didn't have to worry about a thing.

Alucard paused at the edge of the pond, watching how the water rippled the moons reflection. She, however, did not want to dwell on memories any longer than she had to, and continued on. Alucard turned to her.

"For someone who didn't want to come out here, you are quite eager to keep going."

Sir Integra stopped and sighed.

"Maybe it's not eagerness to keep going, maybe it's eagerness to get this over with."

Lies. That's all she told Alucard now was lies. The only explanation she could come up with as to why she was the way she was now was the death of her father. After his death, she hated human contact, and she hid her emotions. To most, she appeared to be high strung, almost as heartless as the ghouls they fought. This atleast earned her respect at the Hellsing Organization. If she wasn't the way she was now, she would not have any respect.

"Alucard, I wish to return back to the mansion now. If you don't mind, I do have work I need to get back to."

Alucard nodded slightly.

"If you wish, Miss Hellsing."

Alucard turned and began walking down the path back to the Hellsing Mansion, leaving Sir Integra behind. She trotted to catch up to him. Suddenly, Alucard stopped, his face pointed straight up to the sky. Chills spread out over Integra's skin. Had he sensed something? Were they about to be attacked? She cursed herself for not bringing her gun. The peacefullness of London had caused her to let her guard down. She should have remembered one of the first lessons her father taught her, the wicked never rests.

Suddenly, she understood why he stopped when a drop of water hit her on the nose. It was beginning to rain. She let out a small laugh at her unnecessary panic, but silenced it when she realized she was stuck out in the rain, at night, with Alucard. She sighed.

"The night tried to tell me it was going to rain. I didn't believe it though." A smirk was present on his face.

Sir Integra knew he was lying. Alucard, being a child of the night for as long as he had been, should have known the night cloud patterns better than anyone. He knew it was going to rain, and he had done this on purpose.

They both continued walking. Integra enjoyed the rain, though. It had been a long time since she was in the rain and enjoyed it. The last time she was in the rain was during a funeral not long ago, saying good bye to the men who had lost their lives trying to protect her and the other Knights during their round table conference. She had hated looking into the eyes of those mens' families, and hoping they didn't know what had killed them, or the pain they experienced during their death. Half of them were killed by the Valentine brothers, and the other half were killed by Walter, Seras Victoria, and herself after being turned into ghouls.

The Hellsing Mansion was just in sight. Suddenly, Integra realized she was walking alone.

"Alucard, where did you go?"

"You go ahead, Miss Hellsing. I need to take my leave of you for a minute. You are safe."

She glared at nothing in particular before continuing on. Her clothes were soaked through, and she desperately wanted to finish atleast some of the paper work. She reached the front door of the Hellsing Mansion, opening it slowly. The door made a very slow, but loud, creak as it opened. The Mansion was as quiet as it had been before she left. Only this time, no Alucard. She walked into her bedroom to find a change of clothes.

Her bedroom was very dark when she walked in, and as lonely as her office. She walked over to her dresser to find night clothes so she would atleast be comfortable while she worked. Her clothes made a sloshing noise as she slipped them off and dropped them to the floor. She was cold now, and still very wet. She slipped into her night clothes, and tied her hair off to keep it from falling onto the paperwork and damaging it. As she was about to walk out of her room, she heard it. Alucard was laughing and mumbling to himself, walking for the stairs leading down into the dungeons. Alucard kept his "room" down in the dungeons, in the same room he had been kept prisoner for twenty years. Suddenly, curiosity took hold of her, and without thinking she slipped from her bedroom and began to follow him. She wanted to know what he had done with the room since he had been let free, and why he chose to keep that room and make it his. She could hear his voice as he walked. It didn't take her long to realize he was having a telepathic conversation with Seras Victoria in his mind. However, Alucard had a bad habit of holding all of his inner conversations outloud.

The stairs led deeper and deeper into the depths of the Hellsing Organization. Alucard's footsteps were silent against the stairs, and she tried her hardest to keep her footsteps silent as well. She knew damn well he was aware of her presence, yet she hoped he wouldn't be upset with her for stalking him, which was, regrettably, what she was doing. Or, maybe, since he was having a talk with Seras, he wouldn't notice she was following him. Either way it went, she continued on, curiosity driving her forward. Before she had time to think another thought, Alucard disappeared into the shadows. Had he sensed she was there? Was he angry? She stopped in her steps, and debated on continuing or turning around. If she kept going, and went into his room, her curiosity would disappear. However, if Alucard found out she had sneaked into his room, he might be upset with her. Finally, she decided to turn around and go back. She turned and jumped backwards, almost falling down the stairs. Alucard was hanging upside down by the ceiling, watching her.


	2. Mysterious

"Why are you following me, Miss Hellsing?" Alucard said, a smirk ever present on his lips.

Sir Integra fought to regain her composure, straightening herself and clearing her throat.

"Curiosity. That's why. I'm interested in seeing what you've done with the room." There, she had said it. She was honest.

Alucard jumped from the ceiling, landing silently on his feet before her.

"Curiosity? Hm. Well, I suppose there is no harm in that. Let us go then."

They continued down the stairs leading further into the dungeons. The area underground was very cold, and an involuntary shiver shot through her body. All light from the upstairs had disappeared, and there was nothing but shadows. How she managed to not fall was beyond her. A door opened at the bottom of the stairs leading into the main part of the dungeons, and Alucard stepped through. Sir Integra stepped through the door, pushing it closed with a loud creak. The dungeons were divided up into cells, and there she saw it. The door she had run to when she was a young child, running from her uncle who was driven by greed and jealousy. It had not changed. The symbol that had scared her when she was a young child was still painted onto the door. Alucard opened the door and led her inside. When she got inside, she was shocked. It didn't look like a dungeon cell at all. On every wall there was a painting of some sort, including Starry Night by Van Gogh. A dresser sat in the corner across from the door which held many lit candles of all shapes and sizes and colors. The light from the candles sent many dancing shadows all around the room. She was amazed at how well the candles actually lit the room! Her eyes traveled around the room, and she saw it. Alucard's coffin was sitting beside the dresser, wide open for the world to see. It was beautiful, if beautiful be a proper term for a resting place for the dead. The interior was a beautiful red satin, the outside was black with small iron crosses wrapping around it. The cross necklace he wore sometimes was hanging by a nail on the inside of the lid. The coffin was sitting atop a very thick piece of wood. Her eyes continued around the room and in the corner across from the coffin she saw what looked to be old military clothes sitting in the corner. The way they sat said they were in excellent condition, and still useable, though they had to be over 100 years old.

"Alucard, your room is beautiful. It doesn't even look like a dungeon cell."

Alucard moved to his coffin, and moved two chairs from the corner. He sat in one, and motioned for Integra to sit in the other. She moved across the room and sat down.

"I didn't think this was merely a sight seeing adventure." He said, smiling as he said so.

"No. I'm still curious about a few things."

"Ask your questions. I have all night."

"Why did you choose to stay in this room? You could have gotten a room like Seras Victoria, still underground but in a different area than the dungeons."

Alucard propped his feet up on the dresser, crossing them at the ankles, and spoke.

"I chose this room because I know many have died here, and I feel comfortable being close to death. I chose to keep this room because I was imprisoned here for twenty years, and here I was set free, made a servant of the Hellsing Organization once again. I live in those memories, and enjoy it, believe it or not."

Sir Integra nodded. Her eyes traveled once again to the battle clothes that were sitting in the corner.

"Those are the military clothes that I wore before I was turned into the creature you see sitting before you. My men and I were fighting another gruesome battle. I knew we were losing, but I continued on. My men were dying left and right, and blood coated the battle field. But that didn't bother me. I guess you could say I was a vampire before I was a vampire." Alucard smirked, leaning forward and taking off his glasses and setting them on the dresser by his feet.

"That is where I was defeated. It all happened so fast I don't remember how I died. The history books can't decide either." He pointed to a whole shelf dedicated to history books, something she had not noticed before because it was hidden by the military clothes.

"Some of those books say my men cut me down on accident. Others say the Turkish Army finally got me. Either way, I was turned into a vampire, which, even that is fuzzy. I remember being in total pain one moment, and the next moment I was lapping up the blood on the battle field. Shortly after this, I met Abraham Hellsing. We fought for what seemed like forever. Finally, he bargained with me. He asked me to become a servant to the Hellsing Organization. At first, I wanted to say no and beg him to kill me because I hated what I was by that point. But the more I let the thought play around in my mind, I realized I couldn't say no. And that's my story."

Sir Integra watched him as he spoke. She waited to see if he would say more before she spoke.

"Well, Alucard, it has been a pleasure visiting with you like this, but I do have paper work I need to attend to."

With that said, she stood from her chair and headed for the door. But before she left, she turned back around and looked at him. His head was turned up to the ceiling and she was shocked at what she saw. True sadness played in his eyes, an emotion she had never seen from him, ever, in the years she had known him. She spoke, hoping he didn't know that she noticed.

"Alucard, why didn't you say no?"

Alucard's head shot back from his thoughts and he looked at her, his eyes held no emotion in them.

"That, my dear Hellsing, is a story for another night."

Integra nodded before walking out of the room and closing the door.

Alucard, now alone, returned to his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he could tell Integra the reason he hadn't said no, or the fact that he almost didn't even meet Abraham Hellsing. Abraham didn't even know he existed, it was all an act on his part that even clued Abraham in that he walked the earth.

Sir Integra returned to her office, her thoughts swimming from the story she had just heard. She had never known the story behind Alucard because he kept it so well hidden from her. She sat back at her desk and upon seeing the pile of papers again, her headache returned. This time, she didn't stop herself from rubbing her head. She hated paperwork, and this time there was no Alucard to take her away from it.

She sifted through papers, dividing them into piles of important papers, people that annoyed her, and junk. After this was done she picked up the important papers stack which, amazingly, after she took all the papers out from people that annoyed her, was incredibly small. She hunted through that stack to find something that was interesting when an envelope caught her attention. On the front all it said was "Sir Integra Hellsing" and the address to the Hellsing Mansion. There was no return address or anything. She flipped it over and written on the back was "Alucard". She quickly opened the letter, wondering how on earth they knew Alucard existed. The only people who knew about him didn't know him by name. She put the envelope to the side and examined the letter. The letter was written in very beautiful print. She read:

"To the great Miss Hellsing,

I do apologize if my letter is a bother to you. I, myself, am a busy person and I understand how you don't like being bothered by pointless letters. But, I assure you, this is a letter like you have never received before. I am a writer of sorts, and am interested in doing a little one on one with Alucard, if you don't mind. He seems like an interesting character, and may be a big help to us. If you could, please call me at the number I've written at the bottom. This is my private number. Call any time, day or night.

I am dying to hear from you, Miss Hellsing

She laid the letter down, confused. So many questions went without answer, like how they knew Alucard, knew he was a vampire, and knew how old he was. Not to mention, the fact that they had neglected to put a name, or a return address, just a phone number. Who was this? What did they need Alucard's "help" with? She could feel her headache returning, and she rubbed her head once more. She stood, leaving the rest of the papers for the next day. Right now, she needed sleep.

She walked into her room and climbed into her bed, finding it more comfortable than usual. Very soon, she was drifting away into dream land.


	3. Ruby Red

Seras walked into the front door of the Hellsing Organization. Though she was happy about her small vacation, she was even happier to be home. The house was rather quiet, much quieter than she thought was normal. She thought nothing else of it, and moved on to her room to put her stuff from the trip away.

Her room was just as she had left it, same clothes on the floor, same messed up sheets on her coffin bed. She was finally in the atmosphere she had missed so much. As she unzipped her suitcase and moved her clothes to her bed, her eyes wandered back to a small box that was hidden in the bottom. The box that had driven her curiosity crazy since it entered her hands. She reached down and grabbed the box, eyeing it over once more, wondering if by staring at it a bit more she could find some hidden secret she had missed before. Alas, nothing new. It was a very small box, no bigger than the palm of her hand, made of wood. There were small symbols that she did not recognize, and couldn't really even explain.

She laid the box back into the suitcase, zipped it up, and hid it in a drawer until she found the person she needed to give it to. Right now, she needed to find Sir Integra and let her know she was back. She sighed and walked from her room to search for her.

She carefully opened Sir Integra's office door, hoping she did not anger her by appearing in her office so suddenly. Instead, she was taken aback at what she saw. Sir Integra was in her office, but her head was down on her desk and she was snoring lightly. She walked slightly closer to the sleeping Sir Integra's desk, debating on whether she should wake her or leave her be.

"Um, Sir Integra?" Her voice was very quiet as she spoke, afraid to meet the wrath of a tired Sir Integra. Sir Integra's eyes opened very slowly, and once she realized where she was she shot up and stared straight at Seras.

"How long have I been asleep?" Sir Integra sounded shocked that she could allow herself to fall asleep on her papers, and worse still someone discovering her as such.

"I don't know, I just got here. I came to let you know I was back from my vacation."

Sir Integra reached for her cigars, lit one, and relaxed back into her chair, removing her glasses to rub her tired eyes.

"Well, atleast I didn't drool on my papers. How was your vacation?"

"It was nice, but I'm glad to be home. Where is Alucard?"

"Last I saw him he was in his room. But that was last night. Since then I have no idea."

"Oh. I need to find him. I need to give him that box he asked me to get."

Sir Integra raised an eyebrow at her, but before another word could be spoken between them, Alucard morphed from the shadows.

"Ah, Police girl. You finally decided to come back." He placed an arm around her shoulder and led her from the room, the entire time she was giving him a confused look.

"By the way, Miss Hellsing, did you enjoy your nap?"

"Alucard, you saw me sleeping, why didn't you wake me up?"

Alucard let out a laugh, and Sir Integra could only imagine what he was about to say.

"You aren't as frightening when you're snoring." His laughter only increased before he left the room closing the door behind him.

"ALUCARD!" Sir Integra shouted at him, knowing he damn well heard him.

"Master, why--"

"Seras, I need that box that I asked you to get for me from Transylvania."

"I have it, but why did--"

"Because she can't know, not right now."

This silenced Seras. She hadn't known Alucard to keep things from his master. Perhaps she had underestimated the situation. And in any situation, Alucard tended to remain calm. Though outwardly he did appear calm, his voice sounded panicked, dare she say it, scared.

"The box is in my room, I hid it."

Together they both walked to her room, and Seras handed Alucard the box she had hidden in her drawer.

"Can I know about it?"

Alucard looked at the box like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. On top of that, a new look passed through his eyes--relief.

"This is something that has been in my family for generations. It went to every single person in my family. Since I haven't died, it belongs to me. I just didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands."

Seras looked really confused.

"You are making such a fuss over a small box?"

"Not the box itself, but what is in the box."

Alucard opened the tiny box to reveal a red ruby. The ruby had what looked to be a dragon etched into it. The stone was so tiny, yet so very beautiful and the detail was amazing. Though something caught her eye.

"Alucard, there's a chip missing from the stone." Seras said, pointing her finger at it, afraid she had damaged it.

Alucard picked it up, examining it closely.

"No there isn't. I know exactly where it is."

With that he slipped off his glove to reveal a ring with a tiny red dot in the middle of it. The red dot was the missing piece of the stone. Alucard gently placed the stone onto the ring, and amazingly enough, Seras realized it was a perfect fit.

Alucard let out a sigh, his eyes glowing bright red for a second. He turned to Seras and grinned.

"I'm so glad to have this back in my possession. Thank you. Did you have any trouble getting it?"

Seras shook her head.

"I went to the castle you told me to go to. Though, I think you should know, there is nothing left of it except for some of the walls. The rest of it has crumbled."

"I figured it was. That used to be my home...before I moved and found a better castle."

"And at one point I thought I was being followed. I did like you said and waited to go at night. But, I kept getting that feeling that I was being watched. So I hurried to get the box, which by the way I did dig for and cleaned it up on the plane, and left for home."

"Your dedication is appreciated, Police Girl. Now, if you will excuse me, my family heirloom and I need to be alone."

Seras raised an eyebrow at him.

"Um, well. Ok. Sure. I guess I'll talk to you later, Master."

By the time she finished that sentence and looked up she realized Alucard had vanished from the room. She did feel proud of herself for coming through for her master. She laid back on her bed and let her eyes drift shut after such a long trip. Sleep came welcomed and quickly for the tired fledgling.

Alucard began his long decent down the stairs, glove in hand, examining the new stone on his ring. Satisfied that the stone was now in his possession, he finally felt like he could relax, if only a little bit. The power of the Dracul's was now his, and it would be very hard for any one else to find it. He climbed into his coffin, slipping his glove back over his hand, and got the first restful sleep he had gotten since he left Transylvania. No nightmares, no worries, just restful sleep.


	4. Secrets

Sir Integra walked into the shooting range to find Seras Victoria firing off a few rounds of her gun. Upon hearing her entrance, Seras lowered her weapon and smiled at Sir Integra.

"Good evening, Sir Integra. Here to shoot some rounds."

"That, and I was looking for you."

Seras gave her a confused look.

"What can I help you with, Sir Integra?"

Sir Integra picked up a gun and fired twice, perfectly in the heart of the target.

"You said yesterday you had something for Alucard. What was it?"

Seras swallowed a sudden lump that developed in her throat, turning back to her target. She remembered Alucard saying that he didn't want her to know, not yet. This time though he wasn't here to save her. He was out walking the grounds.

"Well, um. It was...just something he asked me to pick up for him while I was in Transylvania. That's all."

Seras pointed her gun at the targer, hoping Sir Integra did not notice her hands shaking, and fired.

"What are you two hiding from me?"

"Why would we try to hide anything from you, Sir Integra?"

Seras fired another shot, missing the target completely.

"Because both of you are acting very--"

BANG!

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the gun shot."

"I said both of you are--"

BANG!

"SERAS VICTORIA PUT THAT GUN DOWN NOW AND LISTEN TO ME!"

Seras froze and stood straight up, laying her gun down beside her.

"Now, Seras, anything that enters into the Hellsing household I need to know about. I don't need you two getting my people killed, is that understood?"

Seras nodded her head, the lump getting bigger in the back of her throat.

"Now, what are you two hiding from me?"

Seras had to think of a way out of this. If she didn't tell Sir Integra, she would be furious. But if she did tell, she would disappoint her Master. She couldn't disappoint him, not after he had just thanked her for getting it for him. She decided on a way out of the situation. She cocked her head to the side, as if listening to something, and looked at Sir Integra.

"Sir Integra, Master of my Master, I have to go. Alucard needs me for something."

Before Sir Integra could object, Seras ran from the room.

"SERAS VICTORIA!"

After standing there, realizing her shouting was doing no good, she turned to the target, fired her gun twice, and left to find Alucard.

"I do not like being kept in the dark about what goes on in my household!"

Furiously she made her way down to Alucard's room, hoping he was there. The dungeons were rather creepy, and she didn't like being down there alone. She stopped just short of Alucard's door when she heard them talking inside. Apparently, Seras had arrived only moments before she had.

"Master, you have to tell her. I don't like lying to Sir Integra."

"I don't like lying either. That's why shifting into the shadows is such a great trick I learned."

"Master, this is serious!"

"Police Girl. I'm aware of the seriousness of the situation. But right now I need to keep the fact that I have this in my possession quiet for a while until I find out the effects it has on me and my surroundings. The people who in my family who had this weren't vampires, so I don't know if it will work with me or not. And I have a feeling I won't find out for a good while."

"But Master, she was really angry when I left out of there so quickly, leaving all of her questions unanswered. Not to mention, it was quite rude of me to just run out."

"I'm glad you didn't tell her. If anything, I should be the one to tell her. I just didn't think she'd be so curious about it now. After all, you made your little slip last night when she was half asleep."

Alucard let out a deep sigh.

"I'll tell her tonight that I have it. You go back to your room for now, and let me handle the situation."

Sir Integra let out a gasp, realizing she was about to be caught eavesdropping. Her being who she was, that certainly was not proper. She thought quickly and hid in the dungeon cell beside Alucard's room. Both vampires walked out of the room, Alucard turning back to close the door, and both walked up the stairs. She waited until she could no longer hear their footsteps on the stairs, and she came out of her hiding spot.

"Alucard must really be thinking about something. Normally he would have noticed me as soon as I walked down the stairs."

She made her way up the stairs and returned to her office, surprised to see Alucard and Seras were nowhere in sight. As she took her seat at her desk, the door to her office opened slowly, and in popped Seras. She looked incredibly nervous, afraid of the wrath she was about to receive for acting so rude earlier.

"What is it, Seras?"

Seras made her way closer to Sir Integra's desk, hanging her head as she walked ever closer.

"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted earlier. It was very rude of me."

Sir Integra nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"It's just that, Alucard told me not to tell you, and I thought it would be disrespectful to disobey his command. Not to mention, it would also be rude of me to tell you something that is his to tell."

"I understand Seras. Where is Alucard?"

"He told me he was going to walk the grounds again for a bit to clear his thoughts. So I felt I needed to come in and tell you that I was sorry."

"You are forgiven, Seras. I understand you have a duty to your Master, but you also have a duty to me. I don't like being lied to, and I certainly don't like things being kept from me."

Before another word could be said between the two women, Alucard entered the room. Both pairs of eyes turned to him as he made his way closer to Sir Integra.

"Alucard, where have you been?"

"Good evening to you as well, Miss Integra. Just as Seras told you, I was wandering the grounds again."

He turned to Seras, a look passing between both of them that Sir Integra didn't understand. Seras nodded her head, and turned to leave the room. Alucard watched her leave and did not take his eyes off of her until he heard the click of the door.

"I know you were down there, and I know you were listening." Alucard began, turning back to Sir Integra.

"Then why didn't you come out and tell me to leave, or hold your conversation in your minds?"

"Because I wanted you to hear it. I know Seras didn't realize you were there."

Alucard sat down, taking off his glasses and hat, laying both on the floor beside his chair. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, before beginning once more.

"So, you are curious about the item Seras brought back for me, correct?"

Sir Integra nodded. Alucard slipped off the glove of his right hand, revealing the ring with the small stone in the middle. He slipped the ring off and handed it to Sir Integra who took it into her hands and examined it closely, taking in every minute detail.

"You were hiding a ring from me?"

"Not the ring, the stone."

Sir Integra looked carefully at the stone, running her hand over the tiny dragon engraved in the stone.

"Why did you feel you needed to hide this from me, Alucard?" She asked as she handed the ring back to Alucard who quickly placed it back on his finger.

"Because that particular stone, is the stone that has been passed down for several generations in my family. I wasn't sure of what the effects it might have on me, and I wanted to be sure that the effects, if any, were going to be good and not potentially dangerous to you or myself. "

Sir Integra reached for a cigar, lit it, and waited for Alucard to continue.

"Back many years before I was born, my great-great-great grandfather discovered a great amount of powers. Powers that mortals only dream about, or read about in books. He took in this power, and realized he needed to share it with all the men in my family. To insure that it would stay in the family, he placed all of the powers into this stone. From that moment on every man in the Dracul family, upon reaching the age thirteen, would receive a ring with a small chip of the stone embedded in it. The way the spell is written, only members of the Dracul family can use the ring, and upon the death of one of the holders of the ring, the chip would find its way back to the stone. Since I didn't die, mine never went back. That also left the rest of the stone unwatched and unprotected. Here recently my dreams have been filled with images of the ring, my thoughts filled with worry over it. I was worried it would fall into the wrong hands and cause a very big problem."

"But Alucard, you just said only members of your family could use the ring."

"Exactly, that's why they would need to find the original stone in order to make it work. If someone were to get their hands on this stone, even though my piece was not in it, the door would be opened to all the powers of the Dracul family. Unfortunately, many only knew of the ring, not of the stone. I say unfortunately, because both my father and my brother were killed over their rings."

Alucard's eyes swimmed with a sudden sadness that he quickly blinked away. Had anyone else been looking at him, they wouldn't have seen the tears forming in his eyes. But Sir Integra knew him, and knew that he was holding in a lot of sadness. It was at that moment whe she truly became aware of his age. She knew he was old, it was hard not to know, but she had never fully realized. She could only imagine the things he had seen, the things he had gone through. Alucard leaned over, resting his hand on the desk and used the other to wipe his face.

"I understand you want to protect your family's legacy, and the powers your family possessed. Next time you decide you want to bring something into this house, let me know first."

Alucard turned his eyes to her, hiding all of the emotion that was starting to show through back behind cold eyes, and nodded, turning his eyes back down to the floor. As she thought about it, she realized her statement must have seemed too heartless, even for her. Alucard had just shared with her a deep memory from his past, the least she could do was show some emotion back to him. She reached out and placed her hand on his and gently corressed his hand. This caused Alucard to look at their hands, a sort of shocked look on his face. This had been the first time she had shown this kind of emotion to anyone in a long time. Sir Integra watched his face, and noticed a small smile sneak across his face. Only this smile was not his usual, sneaky, arrogant smile. This was a smile of happiness. He took her hand in his and looked up into her eyes.

"Thank you, Miss Hellsing, for understanding why I did not tell you. I will leave you to your work." Before he let go of her hand, he gave it a small squeeze. He stood and headed for the door.

Sir Integra did not hear from Alucard for the rest of the evening, and was able to get most of her paperwork done. Though, she couldn't help every once in a while turning to look out at the moon behind her.

"This has been a perfect evening." She said as she smiled to herself.


	5. Homesick

He opened the door to the Hellsing Mansion, and entered. The mansion was quiet as he made his way through the cold hallways. The sun was beginning to shine through the high windows. Slowly, he made his way to Integra's office, papers in hand. The door knob was cold to the touch as he turned it and entered. Sir Integra was there, her back to the door. She had turned her chair so that she could watch the sun rise outside. He watched as the smoke drifted to the high ceilings, a cloud of smoke rushing past the side of the chair before he watched her reach her arm back to the ashtray to flick her cigar.

"Sir Integra?"

Sir Integra jumped up from her seat to see where the voice had come from, and he watched as her facial expression changed from annoyed to surprised.

"Walter! I was not expecting you back so soon! How are you?"

"I am doing quite well, actually. The doctors said I would make a full recovery. I'm just glad to be back where I am needed."

He moved from his place at the door to sit in the desk before her. She smiled and turned her chair back around, taking a seat as well.

"I bet you were tired of being in that hospital." Sir Integra said, ashing her cigar once more.

"Indeed I was. But I found something to occupy my mind."

He laid the papers he had in his arms on Sir Integra's desk. Sir Integra looked at them, pushing them open to reveal plans for more weapons.

"I'm sure Alucard and Miss Victoria are ready for an upgrade again, and I had plenty of time to think up new weapons."

"Alucard will definitely love this." Sir Integra said, pointing to one of the drawings before her. Walter leaned over to see which one she was referring to.

"Ah, yes that one. It is, in all honesty, a smaller, more mobile, sawed-off shot gun. He said he always wanted one, and enjoyed the damage they inflicted. But shot guns are just so bulky and hard to manipulate."

Walter leaned back in his chair, satisfied with his work.

"He will definitely be pleased." She rolled the papers back up and handed them back to Walter. For a moment, they both sat in silence, just happy to be back in each others company.

"I never got a chance to thank you, Walter, for saving me."

"Oh, no thanks are needed, it's part of the job."

"That may be, but the thank you is still necessary."

She stood and moved around to where he sat and hugged him, which he happily returned.

"I suppose it is a stupid question to ask if Miss Victoria and Alucard made it. I could feel Alucard's power all over London."

"Yes, they both made it. Seras did such a great job I decided to give her a small vacation."

Walter let out a laugh.

"Yes let her get all of her break time in now."

Both shared a small laugh together before returning back to silence.

"What about Fargason? I know he is dead, but..."

"His body was buried not long ago, with all military honors. I don't know how I will ever replace him. It is hard to find someone who is as loyal and wonderful as he was. He was like family to me." She extinguished her cigar in the ashtray before leaning to place her arms on the desk.

"His death has been rather hard, on everyone. Even Alucard."

"Yes, I imagined it would be, especially on you and Alucard. Other than me, you three were the last three remaining original Hellsing members."

Sir Integra nodded, reaching into her desk and bringing out a file full of papers.

"I have many potential men, both survivors and new comers, who are willing and lined up to take the position. I just can't find any of them that would be like Fargason."

She laid the file of papers on her desk and pushed them towards Walter.

"If you wouldn't mind, when you find time, would you please help me search?"

Walter placed a hand to his chest.

"I would be most honored. Right now, though, I think I shall return to my room and get a little rest. Those hospital beds are not comfortable and I got a little...what do they call that...homesick."

Walter smiled, stood, and turned to leave the room.

"Good day to you, Sir Integra." He said with a small bow.

"Good day to you as well, Walter. Have a good sleep."

She smiled as she heard the door close before eyeballing the folder that lay infront of her. Sadness filled her thoughts as she remembered Fargason. He was a good man, and he would definitely be missed. Not only was he a good man, but he was also a great leader. She let out a small sigh as she picked up the folder and placed it back in the spot she had gotten it from. Her head was beginning to hurt again. She began thinking again of the letter she had received only a few nights before. She wasn't sure if she should call, worried that it might possibly be a trap of some sorts. She thought it best to get the Hellsing army back in working order in case they needed to fight.

But before she did any of that, she told herself, a good nap was definitely called for. Walter had returned from the hospital, Seras was back from her vacation, and Alucard. Well. Alucard was still Alucard. She stood from her desk and went to her room, falling into a deep, restful, much needed nap.


	6. Dark Prayers and Bloody Kisses

Guess what, biatches! I'm BACK! Yes, I know. "TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!" Yeah yeah yeah. You graduate, get an apartment, lose a room mate, and try to write a fan fiction at once! Anyway, so yeah. Let's see if I can squeeze out an interesting chapter for you.

(Note: I had to repost this chapter. Somehow when I posted it, it added a bunch of underlines which I clearly remember NOT adding when I originally wrote the chapter. SO! Let's try this AGAIN!)

Italics are dreams.

88888888888888888888888

She awoke from a deep sleep, her body shaking and covered in a thin gleam of cold sweat. A nightmare, she told herself. It was only a nightmare. Yet as her mind played it out again, she couldn't help but wonder if it was something else. She had never claimed to have powers of any sorts, none other than what God have given her, but the nightmare had her questioning even that.

_There was a battlefield, covered with blood and worse things. Men were everywhere, fighting and dying. Screams echoed through the night, but one man stood amongst them all with a huge grin on his face. He was tall and proud, watching the gory scene play out before him with a twinkle in his eye. How sadistic he looked, intimidating. Yet behind that, for some reason, she knew there to be a softer, kinder side. How she knew that, she was unsure. But she knew with no doubt in her heart that he was not as sadistic as others perceived him to be. _

_The scene changed quickly, and she was dancing with that same gentleman. He had long curly brown hair and gorgeous brown, almost golden, eyes. His skin was pale, and so very soft beneath her fingertips. He had a thick mustache, but it did not hide the smile on his lips. He twirled her, and whilst he was twirling her the scene changed and she was standing on the edge of a very high place. She dared to look down and her stomach jumped into her chest at what she saw below. A river roared beneath her, loud and threatening. She turned her head to look back and saw torch light headed towards her and, without warning, she jumped into the rushing river below. Before she hit the water, she had woken up. _

"What does it mean?" Integra thought out loud. She wiped her face on her sheet before getting up and going to the bathroom to shower and prepare for the day. But she couldn't stop thinking of the dream, and how it all seemed oddly familiar, though she was certain she'd never seen anything like it. She sighed, trying to push it all from her mind. She was never going to be able to work under these conditions if she didn't push it far from her thoughts. She'd have time later to analyze it.

She returned to her desk, and the first thing she noticed was that odd letter she had received. She picked it up, turning it over and over in her hands. Still, even now, it didn't make sense. She sat down, lit up her first cigar of the day, and finally decided to call the number. She picked up the receiver and carefully dialed the numbers. The phone hardly rang once before someone answered.

"Hello, Sir Integra. I've been expecting you to call." The voice on the other side spoke. It was a male voice, smooth as silk. He held a hint of an accent, though she couldn't place what kind.

"Yes, well. Your letter confused me enough to where I had to call, otherwise I would have simply ignored it."

"Well, now I know how to catch your interest. Send a damn near anonymous letter, and you call me. I'm touched."

"Let's get on with business. I grow tired of this small talk."

"You are very right, Sir Integra. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Emilian Andrei Dorin. I am a history book writer, and there are certain things I wish to know about your precious Alucard."

"So you are requesting an interview?"

"To put it in simple terms, yes."

"That was quite a mysterious letter to just be requesting an interview."

"Integra, I am a mysterious man. Why should my letters not represent my personality?"

"Any why on earth should I do this for you? How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"If I meant your Organization harm, I wouldn't do it by posing as a history book writer."

"I've seen worse."

"Miss Integra, I assure you I mean no harm. I've seen the recent attacks your Organization has been through, and I would not dare stand up against that. Obviously, if you can withstand an attack from an immortal creature, you can battle off a writer with hardly a seconds hesitation."

She sighed, a headache beginning to rise up in her temporal lobes. With one hand she gently rubbed, hoping it would go away. This conversation was going nowhere fast.

"I'm not sure that Alucard wants his story broadcasted all over the world. As you've surely noticed by now, he also likes to remain a bit of an enigma."

"Oh yes. He is definitely a hard riddle to crack."

"I will speak to him and see what he has to say about it. Though I highly doubt he will do it."

"Oh, I don't know. Alucard might do it just out of…..pure amusement."

"Maybe, maybe not. He is a wild card, and it is hard to predict what he'll do."

"You have my number now, Sir Integra. Call me when you have made a decision."

The phone line went dead. She pulled the phone away from her head and stared at it like it was an alien thing in her hand.

"Rude little bastard." She said as she hung up the phone. She sighed again, lighting up another cigar. After hundreds of years, people were still trying to crack the mystery of Alucard's life and death. It amused her, in an odd way. But then she realized even she didn't know much about his life. She was suddenly very disappointed in herself, she should have studied up on such matters. Integra looked across the room at a bookshelf full of history books, and knew she'd probably find some information on him. But then she turned and looked outside. It was a beautiful day today, and she hadn't been out since that night she went walking with Alucard. She quickly extinguished her cigar and decided it was best to walk the grounds for a bit and clear her head.

888888888888888888

_Alucard tossed and turned in his coffin, wrapped up in a nightmare. It had a death grip on him, one that even he could not escape. He had tried to force himself awake, tried to rid the old memories from his mind, but he couldn't. He was forced to replay it over and over as the day drew on. _

"_Helena! Run!" He screamed loudly at her. Quickly she disappeared from view as he too ran through the lower parts of his castle. He escaped on horseback, only stopping when he knew he was a safe distance from his castle, and he turned to witness the horror that would tear at his heart for the rest of his undead life. There she was, in all of her beauty and glory, cornered by the men who intended to kill him. Now it appeared they were going to kill her. But they didn't kill her… no, instead he was forced to witness her suddenly--_

"NO!" Alucard screamed in his sleep. His shout echoed in the closed coffin, and left his ears ringing. His face was stained with tears he must have shed while sleeping, and his body shook. He didn't want to see it again, didn't want to remember it. Strange that this would be happening right after the return of the stone. He let his body relax in the coffin, his breathing heavy. The image replayed again and it drove his anger so high he hit the lid of his coffin, sending it flying across the room. Once he realized what he had done he felt his anger level go down and felt quite ashamed of his actions. It was his coffin that he had just broken, and he did have an odd love for the stupid thing. He shook his head and climbed out, deciding he'd fix it later. He needed to feed, and he also hoped Integra would send him on a mission, something. Anything to help him make the memories go away.

He quickly dressed himself and made his way up to Sir Integra's office. He didn't bother shifting through the shadows, he just needed something to clear his mind.

888888888888

So, tell me what you think! I hope you all enjoy it Review and stuff, and be nice. Flammers will meet the wrath of Alucard's guns -nods-


	7. An Itch to Scratch

HEHE! IT'S ME, yo! I bes back! Hopefully you all enjoyed the last chapter Now, I have some gracious reviewers to thank.

From Chapter 1:

Spoot: I'm glad you liked it! If you liked that, you will LOVE what I'm going to do later on. But sigh, I can not tell you, because then you might not read!

Matoska: While I was writing this scene, I couldn't help but snigger to myself at the thought. The thought stumbled upon me and I had to write it in.

From Chapter 4:

Speciosus Nihilum: I can not thank you enough for your kind words. Sorry for the typo, I can't remember if I fixed it or not! I think I did relatively well considering I'm using Word Pad which does NOT have the wonderful spell check. I hope you continue to enjoy what I have planned, and please continue reviewing!

From Chapter 6:

Mithluin: AH! I know! Stupid underlines! I don't know how they got up there, but I did fix it! I hope you enjoy the story though :)

Now, onward to Chapter 7! Mwahaha

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888

As he neared her office his hand began to itch. It was an itch that scratching didn't seem to help. What was going on, he couldn't help but wonder to himself. Only then did it occur in his mind that he was scratching the hand with the ring on it. Quickly he slipped his glove off to examine it. Nothing out of the ordinary, he noted to himself. So why did his hand itch? And even stranger, it seemed to itch the closer he got to Sir Integra's office. He shook his head, figuring it was merely his imagination. He continued closer, until his hand actually began to burn. He shook his hand, trying to rid it of the odd sensations rushing through his veins. Alucard decided it best not to visit Sir Integra today, but as he turned away from the office door it opened. He spun around, staring into the cool blue eyes of Integra Hellsing. As soon as their eyes met his hand began to throb in pain and he couldn't help but grasp it. This wasn't normal. The No Life King, feeling pain? How odd, how completely out of the ordinary.

"Alucard, are you alright?" She asked, genuinely concerned. Alucard realized he was allowing his discomfort to show on his face. He bit his lip and straightened himself, trying to ignore it.

"Of course, Miss Hellsing. What would cause you to ask such a question?"

"You were gripping your hand, and you looked to be in pain. I know that sounds silly, but it's true."

"I am gracious that you would worry so, but truly I am fine."

"Good, because I need to talk to you." She said and turned to walk back into her office. The moment her back was turned he gripped his hand again.

"It must be the ring." He thought. There was no other explanation! He slipped the ring from his ungloved finger and slid it into his pants pocket. The pain ceased in his hand, but now the area on his leg where his pocket sat seemed to pulse and burn. It was even more uncomfortable than when it was on his hand. He decided he could ignore it, however, and moved into Integra's office.

"Alucard, I had a mysterious phone call."

"Oh?" He said, shifting a bit uncomfortably in the chair. "And what did this phone call consist of?"

"It was a man. He wants to… oh this is silly, I can't believe I'm even bringing it up." She said, opening the drawer of her desk and pulling out a cigar.

"Obviously you felt the need to tell me, it must be rather important." He shifted again, the ring sending very hot waves through his leg.

"This man is requesting an interview. With you, Alucard."

"An….interview? Seems an odd request. Was it someone within the Organization?"

"He mentioned a name I've never heard of….Emilian."

"I see…."

"I know you think this is absolutely stupid, Alucard, but part of me says you should do it. He says he is a history book writer and he is seeking information. Now I think--"

"I'll do it."

"….What?"

"I said, 'I'll do it'."

"Oh. Ok. Well, then I shall call him back later and let him know you agreed."

"Excellent. This may be entertaining. I've never been interviewed before."

Integra slipped her glasses off and laid them on her desk. She looked tired, more so than usual. It didn't help that she was rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

"Integra, did you sleep well last night?"

"I would have. But I got woken up with an odd dream…"

At the mention of the word dream, the wave of heat in his pocket seemed to intensify ten fold and he, without realizing it, jumped. Unfortunately in doing so, the ring then shifted to where it sat dangerously close to his inner thigh. His eyes got wide at this realization, and shifting only made it worse.

"Alucard, are you sure YOU are alright?"

"Yes. Fine. I have to go." He stood up and walked towards the shadows, shifting through them without a single word or sarcastic remark. Integra raised a finger to say something, but closed her mouth, figuring it useless. She would just be talking to the shadows.

Once clear of her office, he quickly removed the ring from his pocket and slipped it back onto his finger. He made a mental note NEVER to do such a thing again. But as he walked back to his room to start work on repairing his coffin, his thoughts drifted to why the ring was reacting such a way. He didn't remember it ever doing such a thing when it was the tiny chip. He shrugged, thinking it probably a one time thing. He went into his room and quickly repaired the coffin.

Integra, still a bit thrown off by the way Alucard left, replaced her glasses on her face and picked up the phone. Her fingers moved across the numbers on the phone as she placed this all too strange phone call.

"Ah, Integra! I see you did in fact call me back."

"Yes, I believe so. With some good news for you."

"Oh? Good news I like to hear."

"Alucard agreed to do it."

"Perfect."

She waited for a moment, the silence almost painful.

"Where are we meeting to do this?"

"How about a café? We will do this someplace public so as not to make you feel uncomfortable." "Frankly Mr. Dorin"

"Emilian, please."

"Emilian. With Alucard around, I hardly feel uncomfortable anymore."

Integra began scribbling down the address of the Café they were to meet at. Still, even as she finalized the plans, this all seemed far too odd for her mind to grasp. They said their goodbyes, and hung up the phone. When the phone was back on the hook, she crossed her arms on her desk and laid her head down on them. She refused to think about the dream, and she refused to allow her thoughts to wander. There was a gentle knock at the door, which she quickly welcomed.

"Sir Integra, you requested my help picking out applications for possible employment."

"Ah, yes, Walter. Please, come in. I could use the help."

Walter came and sat where Alucard was just sitting, and together they began to shuffle through the papers. None of them sounded fit enough, strong enough, or even good enough to be members of the Hellsing Organization. But then again, she was a bit biased, especially when it came to picking a commanding officer. None of them could replace Fargason, she realized. But, she was desperate. And, at this point in time, if Hellsing were to suddenly come under attack, they would be heavily unprepared.

After a few hours of shuffling through files, they chose the people, and Walter agreed to make all the necessary phone calls. Integra thanked him, and stood from her desk. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to do, or why, but she was anxious for some odd reason. She needed air, yes. Fresh night air. She would take another walk. A walk sounded like a great idea. A walk down the path she and Alucard had taken earlier. Something, anything to make this feeling go away. Her legs seemed to tingle, and her body seemed to vibrate with anticipation. Why was she so on edge tonight, she wondered? She shook her head and walked outside, beginning her walk. But when she reached the pond, it began to rain… and Integra couldn't help but smile.


End file.
